Can opener and guide



June 26, 1956 J. A. EDMOND CAN OPENER AND GUIDE Filed Sept. 11, 1953 Fig. 3

Joseph A. Edmond INVENTOR.

BY m

nited States Patent Ofiice 2,752,064 Patented June 26, 1956 CAN OPENER AND GUIDE Joseph A. Edmond, Cordova, Territory of Alaska, as-

signor of forty per cent to Jack Dinneen, Cordova, Territory of Alaska Application September 11, 1953, Serial No. 379,631

1 Claim. (Cl. 220-52) This invention relates to a can opener and guide Wherein a slotted key for removing a metal tear band from a can is held in correct relation to the can, and after the tear band has been completely removed from the can, the coil formed thereby may be easily removed from the slotted key.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel can opener and guide wherein a tear band removing key having an open slotted end portion is slidably and rotatably received in an open frame member for removing the tear band of a can.

Another object of this invention is to provide a can opener and guide wherein the can opening key has a guide member spaced from a frame member for maintaining the key in correct relationship to the can for removing the metal tear band.

A further object of this invention is to provide a can opener and guide which is simple in construction, efiicient and safe in operation, and inexpensive to manufacture.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the can opener and guide of this invention showing the details of the frame and guide member with the slotted key therein;

Figure 2 is a perspective view similar to Figure 1 showing the slotted key in a raised position wherein the coil of metal tape may be removed from the open slot; and

Figure 3 is a vertical, side elevation taken substantially along the center line of the slotted key with the guide member in section and showing the details of the structure of this invention.

Referring now more specifically to Figures 1 through 3 of the drawings, it will be seen that the numeral generally designates the can opener and guide of this invention, and wherein the numeral 12 generally designates the can opener, and the numeral 14 generally designates the guide member.

The can opener 12 has an operating finger-gripping handle 16 formed on one end thereof and at the remote end an open ended slot 18 is formed thereon, and projecting stop detents 20 project outwardly from the shank of the can opening key 12. The guide 14 comprises a single strip of material bent in rectangular form with one of the side walls having a double thickness and a key-receiving aperture 22 for receiving the lower end or slotted end 18 of the opening key 12. The guide member 14 has an integral projecting portion 24 at right angles to the double side wall and at its upper extremity has a portion 26 which is at right angles to the upstanding portion 24 and parallel to the side walls of the guide 14. An aperture 28 in the portion 26 receives the shank of the operating key 12 for rotatable and slidable movement.

The operation of the device will be readily understood. By raising the tab of the metal tear band on a can and inserting it through the open ended slot 18 while the key 12 is in the position shown in Figures 1 and 3 and by suitable rotation of the handle 16, the metal band will be Wound about the lower portion of the shank 12 over the open ended slot thereby removing the tear band from the can. The side edges of the guide member 14 engage the can on each side of the tear band thereby assuring a safe and efiicient tearing operation. After the tear band has been completely wound about the slotted portion 18 the handle 1.6 may be moved outwardly and the shank portion 12 slid through the apertures 26 and 22 until the lower or outer end of the open slot 18 becomes flush with the inner surface of the double side Wall of the guide 14 thereby assuring that the slot 18 is completely removed from the coil of the metal band. The projecting stop detents 20 on the shank 12 prevent the movement of the shank 12 outwardly so that the slotted portion 18 becomes disengaged with the aperture 22 and this assures that the device will stay in assembled relation. By pushing in on the handle member 16 the slotted end portion 18 engages the opposite side wall of the guide member 14 thereby assuring that the slot 18 is in operative position between the side walls for receiving the metal band.

The can opener and guide 10 of this invention may be made of any suitable stock rod and flat material which meets the requirements of this particular device. It will be seen that this device eliminates the possibility of the metal tear band getting oif track and tearing out of the can and it further eliminates the necessity of having a supply of the usual slotted keys in the kitchen which usually become lost or misplaced.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A can opener and guide comprising an elongated key having an open ended slot at one end and a handle portion at its other end, a rectangular guide having spaced side and end walls, the upper of said side walls having an aperture for rotatably and slidably receiving said one end of said key, a projecting portion extending from said upper side wall in parallel spaced relation to said key, a right angular bent portion on the end of the projection, said bent portion having an aperture slidably and rotatably receiving said key adjacent said handle, stop detents on said key for engaging said bent portion for limiting outward sliding movement of the key, the lower side wall of said guide forming an abutment limit for the inward movement of the key, said side walls extending equally on each side of said key and forming a guide for metal tape as it is torn from a can and coiled around the slotted end of the key, said key being slidable outwardly so that the open end of the slot is substantially flush with the said upper side wall thereby withdrawing the key from engagement with a metal tape wound therearound, said guide being formed from a single strip of material with the upper side well being of a double thickness of material with the projection formed as a continuation of the upper thickness of the upper side wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,199,790 Holcomb Oct. 3, 1916 1,911,613 Epstein May 30, 1933 2,572,820 Schluter Oct. 23, 1951 2,649,990 Lyle Aug. 25, 1953 2,660,331 Inman Nov. 24, 1953 2,693,897 Johnson et a1. Nov. 9, 1954 

